“Hey, kid.” Qin Jianhe actually laughed at that, though it was a humorless sound.
He set down the tablet and turned it off, his usually calm dark eyes taking on a barely perceptible hint of mockery and amusement.
“Ten years.” His voice was deep. “Do you have any idea what ten years means?”
“Ten years.” Ye Zhiqiu met his gaze, his tone certain. “I know.”
When he’d first thrown out “ten years,” Ye Zhiqiu had felt more than a little guilty.
Truth be told, the whole Jiang Nan situation had nothing directly to do with Qin Jianhe.
Qin Jianhe was just unlucky enough to be liked by someone like Jiang Nan.
Of course, Ye Zhiqiu had expected Qin Jianhe to refuse.
But he hadn’t actually planned on getting his photos for free.
He couldn’t be sure he could help Qin Jianhe, but as repayment, he was willing to do what he could to help him avoid that night when Jiang Nan would drug him.
In his past life, because Qin Jianhe was involved, the whole thing had blown up huge.
With everything that followed, the story stayed a hot topic for a very long time.
For a good while, every website was plastered with related news.
And later, paparazzi caught Qin Jianhe at Meng Qingyan’s celebration—that hand Jiang Nan had stabbed bore a terrible scar.
Such beautiful, elegant hands—Ye Zhiqiu felt they shouldn’t be marred by something so ugly.
Just like Qin Jianhe’s otherwise perfect life shouldn’t bear any disgusting marks from someone like Jiang Nan.
But Qin Jianhe thinking he didn’t know what “ten years” meant?
That was a huge mistake.
Ten years of hell, each day feeling like a year.
He knew. And he knew better than most people in this world.
“I know exactly what it means, President Qin.” Ye Zhiqiu emphasized again.
“How old are you?” Qin Jianhe asked, the corner of his mouth lifting casually.
“Nineteen.” Ye Zhiqiu said. “But I stopped being a child long ago.”
If he counted by his past-life age, he was actually older than Qin Jianhe.
Qin Jianhe looked at him with a faint smile, saying nothing, only raising an eyebrow ambiguously.
Nineteen—that youthful number said enough.
“President Qin.” To Qin Jianhe’s surprise, Ye Zhiqiu seemed especially serious about this. He straightened, unwavering. “You’re only twenty-five yourself. If anything, I should call you ‘brother,’ not ‘uncle.’ But the way you talk, you sound like my grandfather.”
This time, Qin Jianhe genuinely laughed.
The darkness in his eyes gathered into light, especially bright.
“Sorry.” Ye Zhiqiu’s lips curved too. “I didn’t mean to offend. But I really do know what ten years means.”
The kid was so insistent.
Qin Jianhe said nothing more.
“Fine. Ten years.” He spoke after a moment.
Was that… agreement?
Qin Jianhe had actually agreed?
Ye Zhiqiu’s eyes flew wide.
His soft pink lips pressed tightly together.
He sat frozen, motionless, like an exquisite, oversized doll.
Qin Jianhe watched him, the straight line of his mouth slowly curving into a faint arc.
“What?” he asked. “Not happy?”
“No.” Ye Zhiqiu suppressed the joy, excitement, and disbelief inside, seizing the chance to flatter. “I’m just amazed at your decisiveness.”
He must be used to praise. Qin Jianhe was completely unmoved by the flattery.
The smile lingered on his lips, but his deep phoenix eyes only felt distant.
Ye Zhiqiu didn’t mind.
He worked hard to suppress the smile tugging at his own lips and quietly pinched his palm.
It hurt.
His smile widened.
* * * *
The car turned.
The hospital gates appeared in the distance.
Only then did Ye Zhiqiu suddenly realize—he hadn’t prepared any get-well gift.
“Should I buy a fruit basket or something?” He straightened, looking around.
“Already taken care of.” Qin Jianhe said, as concise as ever.
The car pulled into the hospital and stopped in the underground garage.
The driver got out, retrieved an elegant gift box from the trunk, and handed it to Ye Zhiqiu.
Ye Zhiqiu followed Qin Jianhe into the elevator, going straight up to the 16th floor VIP ward area.
The entire floor had only ten rooms.
Qin Xusheng was in 1606—the room at the end of the hall by the window.
The room was huge.
Outside, there was a comfortably decorated, spacious living room.
Inside the ward, two caregivers were bent over, massaging Qin Xusheng’s legs.
Hearing them, Qin Xusheng’s closed eyes cracked open slightly.
Spotting Qin Jianhe, he closed them again.
Qin Jianhe took the gift box from Ye Zhiqiu and set it aside.
He didn’t approach Qin Xusheng.
Instead, he pointed to the sofa at the foot of the bed.
“Sit and rest.”
Qin Xusheng’s eyes opened again.
So there was someone else.
Ye Zhiqiu hadn’t even greeted anyone yet, so he certainly wasn’t going to sit.
Seeing Qin Xusheng’s eyes open, he stepped forward politely.
“Hello, Uncle Qin. I’m Ye Zhiqiu.”
Qin Xusheng looked at him warily.
Anyone with the slightest connection to the Qin family—he knew them all.
A strange face, and such a beautiful young man at that.
He couldn’t help but be wary.
“Ha… haha…” Ye Zhiqiu thought. Friend of Qin Jianhe’s? Hardly.
But he was here now. Whether he was or not, he had to be.
He was about to nod and agree when his wrist was suddenly seized.
“This is my boyfriend.” Qin Jianhe’s flat tone introduced him to Qin Xusheng.
Qin Xusheng: “…”
His bloodshot, murky eyes flew wide for an instant, then his pupils contracted.
Ye Zhiqiu could clearly see the muscles in his gaunt jaw suddenly bulge—he must have clenched his teeth hard.
Obviously, his arrival wasn’t just unwelcome. Qin Xusheng absolutely hated it.
Ye Zhiqiu didn’t move.
He stood quietly, shoulder to shoulder with Qin Jianhe.
“Are you trying to kill me?” Qin Xusheng finally ground out after a long moment.
The way he looked at Qin Jianhe wasn’t like a son. It was like a mortal enemy.
Ye Zhiqiu’s attention wandered for a moment.
Suddenly, without warning, Qin Xusheng grabbed an orange from somewhere and hurled it straight at Ye Zhiqiu’s face.
Ye Zhiqiu: “…”
He really hadn’t expected it to be this intense.
Qin Jianhe moved slightly, blocking Ye Zhiqiu.
The fist-sized orange hit him square in the shoulder.
Looked painful.
“I brought him out of courtesy—so you’d know I’ve found a lifelong partner.” His voice was terrifyingly cold. “Not for you to humiliate and bully him.”
“Qin Jianhe!” With a roar, the cowering caregivers were all dismissed by Qin Xusheng.
Then he looked at Ye Zhiqiu.
“You too. Out. I need to speak with Qin Jianhe alone.”
“Nothing said can’t be said in front of others.” Qin Jianhe said. “There’s nothing about my life he can’t hear.”
Ye Zhiqiu: “…”
He really didn’t want to hear.
With emotions running this high, if Qin Xusheng accidentally spilled some huge secret about Qin Jianhe, would he ever have peace again?
But his wrist was firmly clasped in Qin Jianhe’s palm. He couldn’t move.
“Maybe I should step out?” Ye Zhiqiu looked up with a gentle smile. “You and Uncle Qin talk.”
“No need.” Qin Jianhe looked down and smoothed back the slightly long hair on his forehead. “Tired? Want to sit down and listen?”
Ye Zhiqiu: “…”
Sure enough, Qin Xusheng’s hands trembled with rage.
He breathed heavily, his eyes, full of anger and venom, turning to Ye Zhiqiu.
“You want to listen? Fine.” He said. “Don’t regret it.”
“I won’t.” Ye Zhiqiu remained polite and obedient. “As long as it’s about Yu Ge, I want to hear it.”
He smiled. “I want to understand him better.”
The hand gripping his arm tightened slightly.
Qin Jianhe’s warm palm pressed against Ye Zhiqiu’s delicate skin.
Watching their mutual affection, Qin Xusheng nodded through gritted teeth.
“Fine.” He asked Qin Jianhe. “What’s wrong with Uncle Wu’s daughter, Mijing? Famous foreign university, family background decently matched to ours. The girl’s liked you for years. Just to spite me, you don’t even get to know her before condemning her?”
“You overestimate your importance to me.” Qin Jianhe’s tone was flat. “I don’t like her. I should let her move on, not string her along…”
“I’m not you.” Qin Jianhe said.
“Fine…” Qin Xusheng breathed deeply.
Ye Zhiqiu was genuinely afraid the old man might keel over.
Qin Xusheng’s complaints were many.
But summarizing, Ye Zhiqiu gathered it was basically: Qin Jianhe didn’t respect elders or start a family, didn’t respect his stepmother or support his younger brother, leaving the Qin family facing a future with no heirs…
Ye Zhiqiu listened attentively throughout.
But Qin Jianhe had long since checked out.
He looked down slightly, his mind clearly elsewhere.
Finally, Ye Zhiqiu learned that this hospitalization was also caused by his “wonderful son.”
“Someone this cold-blooded and heartless—you think you’ll end up well with him?” Having listed all the grievances, Qin Xusheng was thirsty. He drank half a cup of cold tea, then addressed Ye Zhiqiu with both threat and bribe. “If it’s money you’re after, just leave him. Name your price.”
He paused, staring intently at Ye Zhiqiu’s eyes.
“Just leave, and my butler will put a check in your hand immediately.”
That was quite the tempting offer.
Ye Zhiqiu instinctively glanced at Qin Jianhe.
Qin Jianhe was looking back at him.
A smile lingered on his lips, but his dark eyes were icy cold.
Ye Zhiqiu: “…”
“Th… that won’t do.” Ye Zhiqiu quickly said. “Yu Ge and I truly love each other. What you’re offering—money, power—it’s too vulgar.”
He added quietly, “Love is so sacred. How could it be traded?”
“Heh…” Qin Xusheng looked at his youthful, innocent face. “Kid, you’re not even of age, are you?”
“What difference does it make whether I’m of age or not?” Ye Zhiqiu smiled. “Like is like.”
“You’re young. You can’t judge for yourself yet. Blinded by momentary passion.” Qin Xusheng laughed coldly. “Your parents don’t know about this, do they? Go home and ask them. See what they think. You don’t know yet…”
His tone grew heavier. “How miserable it is to be old and childless. I’m telling you this for your own good. For both your goods.”
“You have two sons.” Qin Jianhe interjected suddenly. “One nearly ruined Q.L. The other literally landed you in the hospital. What right do you have to lecture anyone?”
Ye Zhiqiu: “…”
Qin Xusheng: “…”
Qin Xusheng’s eyes started to roll back slightly.
Ye Zhiqiu was startled.
Don’t let him actually die—like Zhuge Liang killing Zhou Yu with rage.
“I’ll talk to my parents about Yu Ge and me.” Ye Zhiqiu quickly said. “But adults seem pretty shallow and vulgar. My parents were born with dollar signs in their eyes. If they knew who Yu Ge was, they definitely wouldn’t object.”
“And besides.” He added. “I understand wanting grandchildren. But Yu Ge likes me. We’ve already decided—it’s just us, belonging only to each other. We’re definitely not having kids.”
He paused. “Don’t you have two sons? Why not let go of Yu Ge and let your younger son have them?”
Qin Xusheng: “…”
Qin Xusheng’s eyes rolled back even further.
“Uncle.” Ye Zhiqiu stood. “Should… should I call a doctor?”
“Get out! Both of you get out!” There was a porcelain dish of candied plums on the bedside table. Qin Xusheng grabbed it without thinking and hurled it at them.
The old man looked sickly, but he could throw hard.
Qin Jianhe, quick as lightning, pulled Ye Zhiqiu into his arms.
It happened so fast that Ye Zhiqiu’s whole face was suddenly buried in his chest.
A whoosh past his ear.
The sound of porcelain shattering against the wall behind him.
This was the most intense father-son relationship Ye Zhiqiu had ever seen.
Compared to them, he and Ye Hongxian were practically model father and son.
But from what he knew, Qin Xusheng’s younger son, Qin Weian, wasn’t that much younger than Qin Jianhe.
If Qin Xusheng wanted grandchildren so badly, why not let his younger son have them? Why pressure Qin Jianhe, who grew up with his mother’s family?
It didn’t add up.
Unless Qin Weian couldn’t have children.
Ye Zhiqiu frowned.
No wonder his mention of Qin Weian had provoked such a strong reaction.
“You told me to find someone. I did. I brought them to you. You’re not satisfied.” Qin Jianhe’s voice came from above his head—as deep and pleasant as ever, as indifferent as ever. His chest vibrated slightly as he spoke. “If you hadn’t started affecting my mother’s daily life, do you think I’d give you this courtesy or this chance?”
One hand protected the back of Ye Zhiqiu’s head.
The other held Ye Zhiqiu’s hand tightly in his own.
Utterly protective.
“Stop bothering my mother.” Qin Jianhe stood, pulling Ye Zhiqiu up. “My mother might let it slide, but I won’t. I’ll repay a thousandfold to everyone you care about. And he…”
“Want kids? If your younger son can’t have them, you can always have them yourself. You’ve got plenty of affairs out there, don’t you?”
“Get out! Get out, get out, get out!” Qin Xusheng’s voice had changed—sharp, desperate. It made Ye Zhiqiu’s scalp crawl.
“You okay, baby?” Qin Xusheng’s expression was probably too twisted and ugly. Qin Jianhe didn’t let Ye Zhiqiu look.
He cupped his face in his hands, his voice switching almost seamlessly from icy ruthlessness to tender affection.
“Don’t be scared.” He said. “Let’s go.”
Ye Zhiqiu’s face was very small.
Warm and soft.
Cupped in his palms, it felt like melting cheese—delicate and smooth.
Qin Jianhe’s big hand could almost cover his entire face when he closed it.
Apparently finding this amusing, he actually did it once.
Ye Zhiqiu: “…”
“Don’t get too happy.” Seeing Ye Zhiqiu’s eyes involuntarily curving again, Qin Jianhe said, “I’m calling in that favor next time.”
If You Notice any translation issues or inconsistency in names, genders, or POV etc? Let us know here in the comments or on our Discord server, and we’ll fix it in current and future chapters. Thanks for helping us to improve! 🙂